Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Rustenburg Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Rustenburg

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Durban vs $947 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,552 per month in Durban vs $1,501 in Rustenburg, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Durban vs $2,055 in Rustenburg, rent included.

Durban costs about 12% more than Rustenburg, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Durban and Rustenburg are more affordable than the global median – Durban 21% lower, Rustenburg 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 R 124

$11.22 R 183

-32.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 R 460

$44.19 R 722

-36.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 81.3

$4.01 R 65.5

23.94%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 32.17

$1.94 R 31.65

1.55%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 R 14.21

$0.91 R 14.81

-4.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.00

$0.48 R 7.85

39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R 31.48

$1.42 R 23.26

35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.23

$2.09 R 34.09

6.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.27

$1.07 R 17.43

-6.54%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 14.89

$0.82 R 13.42

10.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.27

$1.73 R 28.21

-14.45%

Eggs

$2.11 R 34.46

$1.99 R 32.49

6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 R 119

$5.82 R 95.1

25.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 R 75.1

$4.20 R 68.7

9.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 R 104

$6.85 R 112

-7.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 25.68

$1.58 R 25.77

-0.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.21

$1.39 R 22.76

-2.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.57

$1.33 R 21.75

3.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.27

$1.58 R 25.90

-13.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 20.78

$0.78 R 12.73

62.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.29

$0.76 R 12.44

55.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 15.92

$1.09 R 17.78

-11.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.67

$0.93 R 15.22

3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 51.3

$2.48 R 40.58

26.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 R 82.1

$4.56 R 74.6

10.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R 23.88

$1.14 R 18.65

28.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R 28.55

$1.14 R 18.60

53.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R 24.47

$1.15 R 18.73

30.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 619

$44.79 R 732

-15.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 27.92

$0.97 R 15.91

76.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 R 10.01

$0.94 R 15.43

-35.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 111

$3.93 R 64.2

72.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.85

$1.22 R 20.00

4.92%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$20.3K R 331.9K

$22.1K R 361.7K

-8.23%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.2K R 396.2K

$24.3K R 397.6K

-0.35%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$147 R 2,402

$68.9 R 1,126

113.25%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.29 R 479

$12.46 R 204

135.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.72 R 551

$43.54 R 712

-22.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 563

$23.59 R 386

46.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 R 149

$5.50 R 89.9

66.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 R 107

$4.58 R 74.9

43.23%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$210 R 3,425

$104 R 1,695

102.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,585 R 75.0K

$5,000 R 81.7K

-8.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.78 R 699

$49.58 R 810

-13.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.50 R 482

$34.20 R 559

-13.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,524

$88.5 R 1,447

5.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,194

$79.2 R 1,294

-7.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 R 6,099

$313 R 5,120

19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 R 6,009

$342 R 5,588

7.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 R 12.3K

$677 R 11.1K

11.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 R 9,708

$568 R 9,283

4.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 14.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,496

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 R 22.8K

$1,356 R 22.2K

2.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

9.9

21.31%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Last update for Rustenburg: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Durban versus $313 in Rustenburg. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 3% higher in Durban, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Durban versus $44.00 in Rustenburg. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Durban vs $159 in Rustenburg – so Rustenburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Durban vs Rustenburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 12%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,587 per month in Durban and $1,421 in Rustenburg. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rustenburg, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,058 in Durban and $947 in Rustenburg. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Rustenburg. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,058 in Durban and $947 in Rustenburg, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Rustenburg – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rustenburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.